cliff to deal with this fiscal cliff. how irresponsible is that? >> reporter: and does washington still, the stock market burns. dropping for a sixth-straight day under this uncertainty. americans are burning up, too. >> this is america. they should be working for the american people. >> can't believe we got this close. >> get in a room and don't come out of the room until you've got this thing taken care of. >> reporter: what the senate leaders hope to do is put together this deal, bring it to the senate tomorrow. then, the house comes back in session tomorrow night. they can vote on any deal passed by the senate. but bianna, no one is holding their breath here in washington. >> no one is, indeed. >>> for more on the big white house meeting, we want to bring in john avlon, political columnist at "the daily beast." a busy man covering all of this. how do you see this playing out? >> we're three days out. nothing focuses than the prospect of being hanged. today, bianna, is the key day. saturday, today, the senators are mee